Folding machine



May 7, 1935- l F. J. coUcH. 2,000,063

FOLDING MACHINE Filed Dec. 22, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTOR N EY5 F. J.COUCH FOLDING MACHINE Mayy 7, 1935.

Filed Deo. 22, 19253 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 mw ww www? uw wm.

A E .ww v\ Nn N QN n. NN. H wm. ....swvil ww mw RY l ---f INVENTORFORREST J. COUCH ATTORN EY-S @y May 7 1935,

F. ,1. coucH FOLDING MACHINE Filed Dec. 22, 19315 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 ya,liz f May 7, 1935. F. J. CQUCH 2,000,063

FOLDING MACHI NE Filed Dec. 22, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 mvEN'roR FORRESTJ. COUCH B E l J 9rd/ ,"yz

ATTORNEYS Patented my 7, 1 935 ,UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOLDINGMACHINE Forrest J. Couch, Rochester, N. Y., assignor to The AmericanLaundry Machinery' Company, Norwood, Ohio, a corporation of OhioApplication December 22, 1933, Serial No. 703,593

23 Claims. (Cl. 27o-62) This invention relates to a machine for foldingat articles, such as sheets, table cloths and the like, and particularlyto a machine for cross-folding such articles.

The invention contemplates providing a machine which passes a flatarticle, such as a sheet, along a conveyor, thenguides the sheet aroundand over a unit consisting of rotatable rollers and tapes runningoversueh rollers, and eventually cross-folds the sheet by means of ablade which passes up through a space dividing the unit centrally andtransversely. The blade thrusts the elliptically rolled sheet betweenbelts which flatten it and impart the cross fold. Closely spacedswitches are provided which cause actuation ofthe folding blade when thetrailing end of the sheet has passed one such switch but not the other,thus measuring the sheet so that the fold will be accurately placed. Atthe same time, the switches cause the sheetmoving means, other than thefolding blade and the cross-folding belts, to stop automatically, suchstopping being necessary while the folding blade is performing itsfunction. Such a machine eliminates complicated timing mechanisms whichhave heretofore been thought necessary to impart a fold accuratelypositioned with respect to the dimensions of the article being folded.

In my copending application Serial No. 657,407, filed February 18, 1933,an apparatus is described for cross-folding flat articles of moderatesize by deflecting the same from a conveyor into the form of a looserollwhich can then be flattened by bringing a folding blade transverselyagainst it and directing it between a pair of rollers. This means worksvery well with small articles but is not practicable with largerarticles, such as sheets,` due to the fact that the larger tubenecessarily formed cannot be satisfactorily manipulated. Accordingly, itis an object of the present invention to provide a machine havingsuppcrting means for the rolled article, such as spaced drums with tapesextending around the same. 'I'he sheet is then deflected around thestructure and adequately and effectively supported in the form of aflattened circle whereof half the perimeter'is equivalent to one of thesides of thev subsequently folded article.

In mest folding machines adapted for folding a series of flat articlesin succession without attention from the operator individually to eachsheet, the operation of the blades at the proper time with regard to thedimensions of the sheet and the position thereof in the machine hasVbeen brought about by more or less complicated timing mechanisms whichcause the folding blades to function at the right time so as to bringthe blade against the center of the article. Such mechanisms areexpensive to make and require constant attention in order to maintaintheir maximum operating efficiency. Another object of the presentinvention is to do away with such complicated timing mechanisms andprovide in their place a machine having an arrangement of switches underwhich the trailing edge of the article to be folded passes. Bothswitches must be closed in order to actuate the folding blade and toaffect other parts of the mechanism, but one switch is normally openwhen no article is passing thereunder and the other is open when anarticle lies under both switches. Consequently, both switches will beclosed so as to complete a circuit actuating the operating mechanismonly when the trailing edge of the sheet has passed by one switch,leaving it normally closed, and has not yet passed the other switchwhich it holds also in closed position. In this way, accuratemeasureyment of the sheet for the purpose of imparting folds thereto issecured since the switches are closely spaced and are also positioned apredetermined distance from the unit about which the sheet is deflectedprior to the cross-folding operation.

It is also an object of the invention to provide means for directing ablast of air over the article being folded around the drums, in order toprevent wrinkling'and to cause the work to cling to the drum tapesduring the rolling process, in order to produce a smoothly foldedarticle.

Still other objects of the invention include means for simultaneouslystopping moving parts which move the article therethrough when thecross-folding blade is functioning, and means for moving the workthrough the folding machine faster than it is fed to such machine inorder to compensate for the delay occasioned by this intermittentcessation of forward movement.

As a further object, the invention includes the provision of means forlowering the deflectors; which direct the article over the forming drumsand tapes, to an inoperative position and simultaneously preventing thefunctioning of the measuring switches mentioned in order' that animproperly laundered article may be shunted through the machine Withoutbeing folded.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in partappear hereinafter.

One machine, by the use of which the aforementioned objects andadvantages'may be secured, is illustrated in the accompanying drawings,but it is to be understood that the same may be modified in variousparticulars, not affecting the principle of its operation withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention.

1n said annexed drawings: Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section taken on theline I-I of Fig. 2, through an ironing machine and a folding machineconstructed in accordance with the invention; Fig. 2 is a transversesection taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 3; Fig. 3 is a top plan view ofthe folding machine; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view showing the drumsand associated tapes about which the articles are wound prior to thefolding operation; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail of a clutch operatingmeans for automatically actuating the crossfold blade and the strippingrollers and for declutching certain drive members, this view showing theclutch operating means in the disengaged position; Fig. 6 is a viewsimilar to Fig. 5 but with the clutch operating means in engagedposition; Fig. 7 is a detail partly in section taken along the line 1-1of Fig. 5; Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing the various clutchoperating levers illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6; Fig. 9 is a fragmentarydetail of the secondary clutch means for automatically operating thecrossfolding mechanism; Fig. 10 is a detail partly in section takenalong the line Ill-I0 of Fig. 9; Fig. 11 is a fragmentary view, partlyin section, showing the construction of the article-measuring switches;Fig. 12 is a fragmentary elevation of the article deilectors andassociated means for rendering the switches inoperative when an articleis to be passed through the machine without folding; Fig. 13 is adiagrammatic showing of the electrical circuit forming a part of theapparatus; Fig. 14 is a vertical section through a portion of themachine, showing the clutches and driving mechanism for the crossfoldblade and the conveyor tape drive rollers; Fig. 15 is a fragmentarysection taken along the line I5I5 of Fig. 3, showing the sprockets anddrive chains; and Fig. 16 is a similar view of the opposite side of themachine,the section being taken along the line I6--I6 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 shows an ironing vmachine I,positioned to feed work through a folding machine 2. Work is conveyedbetween the ironing rolls 3 and the chest 4, thence back against theunder side of the chests by means of the'conveyor'belt 5, between thisconveyor belt and the lower conveyor tapes 6 to the folding machine 2.The spaced workconveying tapes 6 are substituted for the customaryconveyor apron and the upper laps thereof travel from right to left, asviewed in Fig. l, around a driving roller 1 and idler rollers 8, 9, IIIand II. The work is taken from the tapes 5 by a plurality of spacedendless cords I2 passing around the roller I3 and the shaft 20 and istransferred to the work-conveying tapes I4 and I5 of the foldingmachine. The work, upon leaving the ironing machine, passes between thefabric-covered roller I3, extending transversely of the frame I6 andjournalled in the inner end rails of the frame, and a plurality ofspaced narrow rollers I1 constructed preferably of wood, fiber or likematerial and securelyv mounted on the shaft I8.

The purpose of these rollers is to accelerate the speed of the workthrough the folding machine as compared to the speed with which the workis fed from the ironing machine, such increased speed being requisite topermit continuous feeding of work from the ironing machine to thefolding machine, as will appear hereinafter. The roller I1 is drivenfrom 'the roller I3 through a gear I9 rigidly secured to a portion ofthe shaft I8 projecting outside the inner rail of the machine frame andarranged in meshing relation with a gear 2l, of similar ratio, which issecurely mounted on an outwardly projecting portion of the roller shaftI3.

The work, thus accelerated by passage between the rollers I3 and I1,passes onto the conveyor tapes I4 and is carried under the laterallyextending drums or cylinders 22, over which run spaced endless narrowtapes 23. The work is directed by a plurality of deflectors 24 aroundand upon the tapes 23 to form the article into a roll of attenedelliptical shape. 'Ihe rolls -22 are carried by the side rails of themachine IB and extend inwardly across the width of the machine,terminating in stationary members 25 in which they are rotatablymounted. A longitudinally extending space is thus left between the twohalves of the unit constituted by the drums and encircling tapes,through which-is adapted to pass the cross-folding blade 26. This bladeis moved upward by suitable mechanism at the proper time and pulls theflattened elliptical roll, into which the article has been formed, offvthe drums 22 and tapes 23 and thrusts it between cross-folding belts 21and 28, this action being assisted and guided by stripper rollers 29 and3|. The article roll is thus simultaneously flattened and cross-foldedby the cross-folding belts and can be delivered onto suitable conveyorsfor stacking or other disposition.

In the course of its travel through the machine, as above outlined, thework to be folded is nrst changed from the flat condition to the form ofa flattened roll of predetermined size fixed by the dimensions of theunit made up of the drums 22 and tapes 23, and by which onehalf thecircumference of the elliptical roll will be equivalent to the width ofone of the sides of the finished folded article. The roll of work isnext changed from the rolled form to the cross-folded condition byaction of the folding blade which forces the roll between thecrossfolding belts.

The drums 22 are, as stated, journalled in the end rails of the frame I6and have outwardly extending end portions carrying sprocket gears 32,around which sprocket chainsA 33 and 34 pass for driving the drums. Therollers 35, which drive the conveyor tapes I5, are furnished withsprocket gears 36 securely fixed to their outwardly extending ends andare driven by the sprocket chains 33 and 34.

The deiiectors 24, which direct the work in a flat state from the tapesI4 and I5 upwardly and around the tapes 23 of the drums 22 and form itinto an elliptical roll, are mounted on a rotatable shaft 31 whichextends transversely of the frame, as shownin Fig. 4, and is journalledin the end rails of the frame and in brackets 38 and 39. The deflectorsconsist of a series of arms formed on a circumference centering at, orapproximately at, the centers of the rear pair of drums 22. Thesedeflectors can be moved into and out of operating position rela- Critive to the tapes I5 and the rear drums 22 by means of a hand crank 4Iwhich is xed to a portion of the shaft 31 extending outside of the outerend railof frame I6.

In the operation of the article-rolling portion of the apparatus, thetapes I4 and I5 are set in motion to pull work in the fiat state fromthe feed end of the frame toward the opposite end, the drums orcylinders being rotated in a clockwise direction as viewed in Flg. 1.The crank 4I is operated to rotate the shaft 31 to swing the deilectors24 from the inoperative position, shown in dotted lines in Figs. 1 and12, wherein they are beneath the upper laps of the tapes I5, into theposition shown in full lines wherein vthey are in deilecting positionwith respect to the tapes I5 and the drum 22 and drum tapes 23. Innormal operation, the work is conveyed in the flat state through theapparatus by the tapes I4 and I5 until it strikes the deflectors and iscurved upwardly around the aforementioned drums and associated tapes bycontinued movement of the work and the rotation of these drums andtapes. VThe work is finally rolled into the elliptical shape illustratedin dotted lines in Fig. l.

While the apparatus is operating, an inspection operator is stationed ata point approximately between the rear of the ironing machine and therear of the folding machine to observe the condition of each articlebeing folded. Articles which have been properly washed are permitted tobe folded, but those which have not been properly washed, those commonlytermed wash-overs in the laundry, are shunted through the machinewithout being folded. This is brought about by manually operating thecrank 4I to lower the deflectors below the upper tapes of the feedaprons I5 so as to allow the articles to pass by the folding mechanismwithout being folded and into a receptacle 42 provided at the rear ofthe machine.

An article which has been given an elliptical shape on the drums andtapes must now be reduced to a flat folded condition. This isaccomplished by the cross-fold blade 26 which, at the proper time, ismoved upwardly between the inner support members 25 of the cylinders andbetween adjacent tapes to engage the cylinder of work at approximatelyits longitudinal center so as to pull the work off the drums orcylindersl 22 and the conveyor tapes and thrust it upwardly between thestripper rollers 29 and 3| into the bite between a plurality ofcrossfolding belts 21 and 28. The work is then pulled upwardly betweenthese cross-folding belts and is reduced to a flat, cross-foldedcondition.

The cross-fold blade 26 is moved up and down in guides 43 in which therods 44, rigidly secured to the bottom of the cross-fold blade, areadapted to slide. A cross rod 45 is securely fixed to the vertical rods44 at approximately their vertical center and links 46 are rotatablymounted on such cross rod. Cranks 41 are pivotally assembled to thelinks 46 by means of pins 48, the opposite ends of the cranks beingsecurely pinned to a shaft 49 journalled in the brackets 5|. This shaft49 carries a bevel gear 52 meshing with another bevel gear 53 fixed to-adrive shaft 54. At its opposite end: this shaft 54 is assembled to thedriven member of a clutch mechanism. A spring 55 is secured to the frameof the machine and to the lower portion of the cross-fold blade so as tocause ously rendering the driving mechanism for the conveyor tape driverollers 20 and 35, the rollers I3 and I1, and the drums 22 inoperative.`This control means is actuated by movement of the work through theapparatus and thus requires no manual intervention. The control includesmercury switches 5S and 51 having arms 58 and 59 which projectdownwardly between the upper laps of the tapes I4. An article travellingover the tapes beneath the switches operates the arms as its trailingedge passes them, with the result that an electrical circuit to asolenoid 6I is controlled. Energization of the solenoid actuates a lever62 through a link 63 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 5,togset the clutch operating mechanism on the shaft 64 for accomplishingthe above mentioned objects.

Switches 5S and 51 are preferably of the mercury type, the switch 56,which is. the rst in the path of the article travelling through themachine, being so disposed as to be normally closed, while the otherswitch 51 is so disposed as to be normally open, such disposition beingbrought about by proper positioning of the contacts E5, 66 and 65' and66', with respect to the pool of mercury in the switch. A flat articlepassing under the switches strikes the arms 58 and 59 and moves them ina clockwise di rection, or to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 1,such movement opening the switch 53 and closing the switch 51, as willbe apparent. The switches remain in this position, the circuit to thesolenoid being still open since closing of both switches is necessary inorder to close the circuit, until the trailing edge of the article ipasses from under the arm 58 of the rst switch, permitting the arm torotate in a counterclockwise direction and close the circuit since thearm 59 of the second switch is still being held up by the article whichhas not yet completely passed the second switch. The circuit is thusclosed only while the trailing edge of the article is between the twoswitches or, more exactly, between the arms of the two switches, and thecircuit thus established during this short period oncrgizes the solenoidwhich actuates the main clutch for operating the various mechanisms. Theswitches will be placed close to the forward drum 22 so that only asmall portion of the article fails to lie under the tapes 23. This smallportion allows for the spreading of the rolled article when folded, sothat the trailing edge may be aligned with the folds, if desired. Sincethe folding blade is actuated only when this trailing edge lies betweenthe two switches, or the corresponding space between their respectivearms, and since, moreover, the spacing of the switches may be made quitesmall, it will be seen that very accurate measurement of the sheet forfolding purposes may be had without recourse to complicated timingmechanisms.

The main clutch, actuated by these switches, isillustrated in Figs. 5, 6and 7 and includes a sprocket gear 61 rigidly secured to the shaft 64,the gear having a plurality of axially extending rollers 68circumferentially spaced upon its inner face. 'I'he shaft also carries acam 69 loosely mounted thereon and has a dog 1| on its inner faceopposed to the inner face of the sprocket gear 61. One end of the dog 1|is adapted to be moved into contact with the rollers 68 on the gear bymeans of a spring 12 to connect the loosely mounted cam with the rigidlymounted sprocket gear. This is brought about when the solenoid 6| isenergized to pull the trigger arm 62 into the position shown in Fig. 6,where the dog has been released by the trigger arm and the spring 12vhas pulled it into engagement with the rollers 68. The opposite actionis secured when the solenoid is deenergized by the passing of thearticle from under the switch arms 58 and 59, whereupon the trigger arm62, loosely mounted on the shaft 13, is moved in a counterclockwisedirection by means of a spring 14 which returns the trigger arm to aposition where it will contact with one end of the dog 1| when therotation of the cam has brought the dog into abutment with the triggerarm. This forces the dog around its axis and swings the operating endthereof into a position where it will not contact with the roller 68 andthus disconnects the cam 69 from the sprocket 61. Thus, Fig. 5illustrates the automatic control mechanism in the disconnected positionand Fig. 6 illustrates the same in the connected position.

The cam 69 has an indentation 15 therein which is adapted to receive aroller 16 carried on the end of an arm 11 rotatably mounted on a shaft18. 'I'he opposite end of this arm 11 is pivotally mounted on a shaft19, this shaft, in turn, being rotatably mounted in slide members 8| and82. The slide members are slidably assembled in guides located in theside rails of the frame |6 and have stripper rollers 29 and 3| rotatablyassembled in their lower ends. A spring 83 is secured at one end to theshaft 64 and at the other end to the arm 11 in order to maintain theroller 16 in constant engagement with the periphery of the cam 69.

When the main clutch mechanism described above becomes engaged, asillustrated in Fig. 6, the cam 69 is rotated in a clockwise direction tocause the roller 16 to ride out of the indentation and onto the higherportion of the cam periphery, thus causing the arm 11 to be rotated in aclockwise direction. This moves the slide members 8| and 82 downwardlyand lowers the stripper rollers 29 and 3|, carried on the lower ends ofthese slide members, to a position adjacent the drums 22 to approach theupwardly moving cross-fold blade 26. The stripper rollers will remain inthis lower position until the cam has completed one rotation and theroller 16 has again come to rest in the cam indentation.

At the same time that the stripper rolls are Kthus being lowered, thecross-fold blade 26 is also being raised. This is brought about by meansof the counterclockwise rotation of the arm 84, fixed to the shaft 13,which operates through the linkage consisting of rod 85, bell crank 86and rod 81, to release clutch trigger arm 88. As may be seen in Fig. 8of the drawings, arm 84, being rigidly attached to the shaft 13, turns,when the solenoid is energized, simultaneously with the turning of thearm 62 to release the dog 1| for the operation of the stripper rolls.Release oi.' the clutch trigger arm 88, as maybe seen in Figs. 9 and 10,permits the dog 89 to become engaged with one of a plurality ofcircumferentially spaced axially extending rollers 90 on a drivingmember 9| rigidly secured to a shaft 92. Upon release of the dog in thismanner, a spring 93, attached to the dog and to the cam, pulls the doginto engagement with one of the aforesaid rollers, thus turning the diskmember 94 which is rigidly mounted on the shaft 54. Rotation of theshaft 54, in turn, rotates the bevel geary 53 and the bevel gear 52meshing therewith, and the shaft 49, as seen in Fig. 1, is rotated toraise the cross-folding blade through cranks 41, links 46, and the rods44.

As the cranks 41 continue to rotate, the blade is again lowered, aidedby the spring 55, and, at the same time, opening of the second switch51, as the trailing edge of the article passes it, deenergizes thesolenoid and permits the spring 14 to bring the lever 62 into positionto lock the cam 69 out of engagement with the sprocket gear 61. Thisreleases the pull on the rod 85 and permits a spring 95 to operate thebell crank lever 86 in a counterclockwise direction to lower the rod 81,as shown in Fig. 14. The rod forces the trigger arm 88 into engagementagain with the dog 89 and locks the latter out of engagement with therollers 90 so as to disconnect the driven member 94 from the drivingmember 9|. This mechanism thus brings about controlled operation of thefolding blade 26.

While the stripper rolls 29 and 3| are lowered and the folding blade 26is raised in order to remove a rolled article from the rollers 22, itwill be apparent that some means must be devised to prevent thecontinued operation of these rollers and of the feed means while theblade yis functioning, otherwise interference with the smooth andaccurate operation of the machine will result. Simultaneously with theoperation of the cross-folding parts, cessation of movement byassociated conveying elements is brought about in the following manner:When the main clutch mechanism illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 becomesengaged by the closing of the switches and consequent energizing of thesolenoid 6|, the cam 69 is rotated in a clockwise direction and causes,among other effects, a counterclockwise movement of the bell crank 96 bymeans of a lug |00 mounted on thev outer face of the cam and contactingwith the bell crank which is rigidly mounted on the shaft 13. The shaftis journalled in bearings in the front and rear rails of the frame, asmay be seen in Fig. 3. This counterclockwise movement of the bell crankoperates on a clutch 91 through the rod 98 attached to the bell crank96, the bell crank 99, rod |0| and the clutch operating member |02 todisengage the clutch. The female member of the clutch is slidablymounted on the shaft |03, being held against rotation by the key |04,and the male member is attached to the shaft |05. A spring |06 isattached to the frame and to the operating member |02 for the purpose ofmoving the clutch back into engaging position immediately upon return ofthe cam to its normal position wherein the roller 16 rests in theindentation 15, after the completion of one revolution.

Disengagement of the clutch 91 in this manner vdisconnects the drivefrom the conveyor tapes |4 and |5 and the tapes 23 during the time thatthe folding blade is being moved upwardlyl into engagement with thework, as will appear more fully hereinafter in connection with thedescription of the drive for the various parts. Following the drive backfrom the operating parts; the

2,ooo,oes -5 cylinders 22 and tapes 23, aswell as the drive rollers 20and 35, are driven by sprocket chains 33 and 34, as shown in Figs. 15and 16, one on each side of the machine. The sprocket chains engagesprockets 2|, |01, 32 and 36 and drive the same, the chains being drivenby the sprocket |08 fixed on one end of a stub shaft |09 suitablyjournalled in the frame. A sheave pulley is rigidly mounted on theopposite end of this shaft and is arranged to be driven by a series ofV-belts 2 extending around a drive pulley ||3 xed to the shaft |05. Theshaft |05, as mentioned above, has the male member of the clutch 91rigidly attached thereto. The drive 'for this shaft |05 is through theclutch which connects it with the aligned shaft |03, this latter shafthaving mounted on one end the pulley which is belted to a pulley on theshaft of the motor ||4. The forming cylinders and tapes and the conveyordrive rollers and tapes are thus driven through the clutch 91 and aresubject to intermittent stoppage according as the clutch is moved intoor out of engaging position by the above described control mechanism.

The drive for the main clutch-operating mechanism and for thecross-folding belts 21 and 28 includes the shaft ||5 journalled, at oneend, in the drive sprocket |08 and journalled at the opposite end in asuitable bearing 6 in the end rail of the frame, the shaft carryinglsheave pulley ||1 mounted thereon. The pulley ||1 is connected to themotor drive by means of belts ||8 running over pulley |I9 rigidlyattached to shaft |03. Midway between the sprocket and frame, a bevelgear |2| is rigidly mounted on the shaft in meshing relation withanother bevel gear |22 rigidly attached to a shaft |23. A sheave pulley|24 is also rigidly attached to the shaft |23 and carries V-belts |25,as may be seen in Fig. 2, to drive the pulley |26 fixed on a shaft |21.'I'he shaft |21 has an outwardly extending portion which carries thesheave pulley |28 having V-beltsv |29 passing thereover and drivingsheave pulley |3| fixed to the shaft 18. Referring to Fig. 3 a sprocket|32 is rigidly mounted on the shaft 18 at a point approximately midwayof its length between the front and rear rails of the frame I6, andcarries a sprocket chain |33 for driving the driving member 61 of themain clutch mechanism shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

The rearwardly extending portion of the shaft 18 is provided with asheave pulley |34 rigidly mounted thereon and carrying the V-belts |35which drive sheave pulley |36. The sheave pulley |36 is mounted rigidlyon the conveyor tape drive shaft |31 together with a spur gear |38 whichmeshes with another spur gear |39, of equal ratio, rigidly mounted onone end of drive shaft |4|. Since cross-folding belts 21 pass aroundshaft |4| and belts 28 pass around shaft 31, it will be seen that thetwo gears, of equal ratio, accomplish the drive for the belts. It willfurthermore be noted that, since the drive for these belts as well asfor the main clutch-operating mechanism, is not through the clutch 91but directly from the shaft ||5, the belts and main clutch controlmechanism operate continuously.

The drive for the cross-folding blade 26 is taken off the shaft ||5 bymeans of V-belts |40 running over pulley |42 on the shaft ||5 and pulley|43 on shaft 92. The rotation of shaft 92 is thus continuous but theshaft 54 is turned to operate the blade only when the clutch members 9|and 94 are connected by the rod 81 actuated by means of theY main clutchoperating mechanism. In brief, it may be said that the drive for theconveyor rollers 20 and ,35 and for the article-forming cylinders 22 istaken from the shaft |03 through the clutch 91, the drive for the mainclutch control mechanism and for the cross-folding belts is taken from'the shaft |5 driven directly from the motor, Without intervention of aclutch mechanism, and the drive for the cross-folding blade is takenfrom the shaft 92 through the clutch constituted by the membcrs 9| and04, all three shafts being parallel and diven through appropriatebelting by the motor The electrical circuit for actuation of thesolenoid 6| to control the main clutch mechanism for operating thevarious portions of the folding machine, is illustrated in Fig. 13,wherein line |44 leads from L2 to contact 65 of the first switch 56, andline |45 leads from the other contact 66 to contact 65' of the secondswitch 51.

' A line |46 leads from the other contact 66 of this switch to thesolenoid 6|, and aline |41 connects the solenoid to LI. It will be notedfrom the diagram that switch 56 is normally closed since its contactorsare positioned at the bottom of the switch where they are both immersedin a pool of mercury while the switch 51 is normally opened since itscontactors are positioned at one side where at least one of them willnot be in contact with the pool of mercury. During the period when noarticle is passing under the arms 58 and 59, the second switch will beopen.

and during the time that an article is under both arms, the first switchwill be open, due to the raising of one or both of the contactors 65 and66 out of the pool of mercury, so that, in either case, the circuit isbroken and the solenoid is not energized. The only time when the circuitis complete is that occurring when the trailing edge of the article liesbetween the arms 58 and 59, the rst switch being released to return tonormally closed position and the second switch still being held inclosed position by the article. The folding of the article is thusaccurately timed automatically by the position of the article in thefolding machine.

The switches are mounted on arms |65 rigidly assembled in insulatingblocks |66, of fibrous or other non-conductive material. These blocksare rigidly assembled in the free ends of shafts |61 rotatably mountedin the machine frames I6. While the switch mechanisms are shown as beingof the well-known mercury type, it will be obvious that other switchconstructions may be used without departing from the inventive principleinvolved.

While means have been provided to direct a flat article from the tapes|4 and I5 around and over the tapes 23, such means being the defiectors24, it is found that the operation is improved by directing a blast ofair downwardly upon the article as it rests on the upper runs of thetapes 23 in order to prevent wrinkling and the like. This isaccomplished by a blower |48 driven by a motor |49, the blower and motortherefor being securely mounted on a bracket |5|. The blower` isconnected to a duct |52 which directs a blast of air at room temperatureover the top surface of the article being folded. Blades |53 are locatedabove theA top of the :cylinder tapes 23, extending the full lengththereof and curving around the forward end of such tapes to confine theow of air against the are delivered to the folding machine by theironing machine. The work is carried toward the drums or cylinders 22and the deflectors 24, the deilectors being in the operative positionshown in full lines in Fig. 1. The deilectors direct the articleupwardly around the rear drum and the tapes 23 carry it in the reversedirection to the forward drum 22, around which it is directed by the airblast which is confined against the work by the blades |53. The articleis thus converted into a flattened elliptical form of dimensionscalculated to produce a folded article of the required size. When thearticle is fully wrapped around the drums, its` trailing edge has passedbeyond the switch arm 58 but has not yet freed the switch arm 59. Thisleaves both of the switches in the closed position and causes energizingof the solenoid 6| which actuates the main clutch mechanism. The mainclutch mechanism then stops the movement of the tapes I4, I5 and 23 andsimultaneously raises the cross-folding blade 26 between the innerdrum-supporting members 25 to lift'the article from the drums. Theaction of the folding blade is aided by the stripper rollers 29 and 3|which are moved downward at the same time that the blade is moved upwardto pull the article from the drums and guide the center thereof into thebite of the cross-fold belts 21 and 28.

The cross-fold `belts not only cross fold the article but also fiattenthe ellipse formed on the drums 22 to produce longitudinal folds in thearticle. The finished work is thus folded both transversely andlongitudinally and passes upwardly between the cross-fold belts onto astationary conveying means |56 which changes the direction of travel ofthe article and deposits it upon a wrapping table, not shown, located atthe rear of the machine. The cross-fold belts and the shaft 64 arecontinuously driven while the folding machine is operating but theclutch 91 is rendered inoperative at the same time that the foldingblade and stripper rollers are actuated in order that stationaryconditions may prevail while the article is being lifted off the formingdrums by the folding blade. This intermittent stoppage of the conveyingmeans during the folding operation necessarily slows up the passage ofarticles therethrough and, since it is desired to feed such articlescontinuously n-succession from the ironing machine, delay would beoccasioned if the folding machine operated at the same speed as theironing machine conveying belts. Accordingly, the speed of travel of thearticles is accelerated as they pass between the rollers I3 and |1 inorder to compensate for the time lost during the cross-folding step.

As previously stated, an operator is stationed by the machine for thepurpose of inspecting work which passes therethrough and rejecting anyimproperly washed article, termed a washover. The article to be rejectedis passed directly through the folding machine without being wound aboutthe drums or cylinders 22 by lowering the deflectors 24 below 'the tapesI5, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. The article will then pass alongthe tapes I4, over the tapes I5 and will drop into a receptacle 42.Means are Aalso provided for maintaining the control mechanism in theinoperative position and thus preventing actuation of the folding bladeand other parts when such an article passes through, this means takingthe form of a device for holding the switch operating levers raisedposition. `Referring to Fig. 12, the arms |51 and |58 are adapted tomove in a clockwise direction each time that the crank 4I is turned in acounterclockwise direction by hand. The movement of the arms |51 and |58is effected through fingers |59 and |6I, pivotally mounted on the sideframe I6 at one end and pivotally connected to operating lever |82 at apoint approximately midway of their pivotal points and free ends, as at|63. The operating lever is pivotally connected at the opposite end toan upwardly extending portion of the crank 4|, as at |64. Throwing ofthe crank 4| to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 12 depressesthe defiectors and simultaneously moves the fingers |59 and |6|counterclockwise against the switch arms |51 and |58 to raise thearticlecontacting arms 58 and 59 above the work. Such raising of thearms will, of course, leave one of the switches in the open position andprevent any actuation of the folding mechanism. The rejected articlethus passes directly through the machine without any delay consequent onoperation of the apparatus, so that folding is interrupted for a minimumperiod of time.

What I claim is:

1. In a folding machine, means for feeding a fiat article therethrough,means for forming said article into a iiattened elliptical shape, meansfor directing said article from said feeding means about said formingmeans, a blade adapted to remove the lformed article from said formingmeans, and belts for cross-folding said formed article.

2. In a folding machine, means for feeding a flat article therethrough,means for forming the article into a roll, cross-folding means forremoving said article from said forming means and folding the same, andmeans for actuating said cross-folding means including spaced electricalswitches adapted to close an actuating circuit when the trailing edge ofthe article lies between said switches.

3. In a folding machine, means for feeding a at article therethrough,means for forming the article into a roll, cross-folding means forremoving said article from said forming means and folding the same,l andarticle measuring means for timing the operation of said crossfoldingmeans including spaced electrical switches adapted to close an actuatingcircuit only when the trailing edge of the article lies between saidswitches.

4. In a folding machine, means for feeding an article therethrough,means for forming the article into a roll, cross-folding means forremoving said article from said forming means and folding the same,spaced switches intersecting the path of said article, one of saidswitches being normally open and the other normally closed and beingadapted to reverse those positions successively when an article passesthereunder.

5. In a folding machine including means for conveying a at articletherethrough and means for cross-folding the same, a measuring means foralternately actuating said conveying means and said cross-folding means,comprising s'paced electrical switches in circuit with a solenoid,contact points in one of said switches normally electrically connectedand contact points in the other of said switches normally disconnected,

and arms on said switches adapted to be raised by the passage of anarticle along said conveyor to reverse the condition of said switchessuccessively.

6. In a folding machine including means for feeding a fiat articletherethrough, means for forming the article into. a roll andcross-folding means for removing said article from said forming meansand folding the same, the combination which comprises a drive for eachof said means, and means for producing intermittent operation of saidcross-folding means, said feeding means and said forming means beingstationary during operation of said cross-folding means.

'7. In a folding machine including means for feeding a fiat articletherethrough, means for forming the article into a roll andcross-folding means for removing said article from said forming meansand folding the same, the combination which comprises a drive for eachof said means, a clutch for each of said means and a mainclutch-operating means for periodically connecting the clutch for saidcross-folding means and simultaneously disconnecting the clutch for saidfeeding means and said forming means.

8. In a folding machine including means for feeding a fiat articletherethrough, means for forming the article into a roll andcross-folding means for removing said article from said form.

ing means and folding the same, the combination which comprises a drivefor said means, spaced switches intersecting the path of travel of saidarticle to measure the same, a solenoid energized when the article ispassing said switches, a clutch-operating mechanism adapted to beactuated by said solenoid, and clutches connecting said feeding,forming, and folding means to said drive and controlled by saidclutch-operating mechanism. s

9. In a folding machine, a device for rolling an article to be foldedinto a cylindrical shape, which comprises spaced rotatable drums andtapes running between and about said drums.

10. In a folding machine, means for feeding an article therethrough,spaced rotatable drums having tapes running thereover and positionedadjacent said feeding means, means for directing said article over saiddrums and tapes, and

means for directing a blast of air against said article on said tapes.

11. In a folding machine, means for feeding an article therethrough,means for rolling said article into a flattened roll, deflectors fordirecting said article from said feeding means to said `roll-formingmeans, and means for manually lowering said defiectors below saidfeeding means to shunt an article past said roll-forming means.

12. In a folding machine, means for feeding an article therethrough,means for rolling said article into a flattened roll, deflectors fordirecting said article from said feeding means to said roll-formingmeans, and means for manually lowering said defiectors below saidfeeding means to shunt a rejected article past said roll-forming meansand for simultaneously preventing the operation of said roll-formingmeans and said cross-folding means.

13. In a folding machine, means for feeding an article to be foldedtherethrough, means for rolling said article into the formof a flattenedroll, electric switch actuated means for operating said roll-formingmeans, deilectors for directing said article from said feeding means tosaid roll-forming means, and means for manually lowering said deflectorsbelow said feeding means to shunt a rejected article past saidrollforming means and for simultaneously rendering saidswitches'inoperative.

14. In a folding machine, means for conveying an article therethrough,means for forming said article into a roll, means for removing saidarticle from said roll-forming means, means for flattening said roll andcross-folding the same, and means for receiving and guiding said articlebetween said roll-forming means and said flattening means.

15. In, a folding machine, means for conveying an article therethrough,means for forming said article into a roll, a reciprocable blade adaptedto pass through said forming means and lift the roll of! saidroll-forming means, stripper rolls adapted to move downward as the blademoves upward to receive and guide said article, and belts adapted toreceive the article from said stripper rolls and fold the same.

16. In combination, a flatwork ironer and a folding machine, means forfeeding articles in close succession through said ironing machine tosaid folding machine, means for conveying said articles through saidfolding machine. means for cross-folding the same, means for stoppingsaid conveying means while said crossfolding means operates, and meansfor driving said conveying means at a greater speed than said feedingmeans from said ironer to fold said articles continuously in closesuccession.

17. In a folding machine,` means for forming a substantially flatarticle into generally flattened elliptical form, conveyor means fordelivering such an article to said forming means, and means forcross-folding such elliptically formed article.

18. In a folding machine, means for forming a substantially flat articleinto generally flat` tened elliptical form transversely disposedrelative to the direction of travel of said article,- conveyor means fordelivering such an article to said forming means, and means forcross-folding such elliptically formed article.

19. In a folding machine, means for forming a substantially fiat articleinto generally flattened elliptical form and including two spaced parts,conveyor means for delivering such an article to said forming means, andmeans movable between the two spaced parts of said forming means forremoving such elliptically formed article from said forming means.

20. In a folding machine, means for forming a substantially fiat articleinto generally flattened elliptical form and including two spacedaxially aligned roll members, conveyor means for feeding such an articleto said forming means, and means movable between the axially alignedroll members of said forming means for removing the elliptically formedarticle therefrom.

21. In a folding machine, means for forming an article into generallyroll form and including generally parallel roll members interconnectedby travelling tape members, conveyor means for bers 'of said formingmeans, means for removing a formed article from said formin'g'means, andmeans for cross-folding said removed formed article.

23. In a folding` machine, an article conveyor,

article forming means positioned thereabove and including spaced 'rollmembers interconnected by tape members, and deflector means .fordeecting from said conveyor to said forming means the leading edge oi.'an article' to be 10 formed by said forming means.

FORREST J. COUCH.

